Supersonic aircraft

ABSTRACT

A supersonic aircraft having retractable wings and stabilizer controls wherein the leading edge of the airfoil is a continuous air inlet and the fuselage and all remaining portions of the aircraft are situated largely downstream of the air inlet, the aircraft being substantially T-shaped in configuration, a large portion of the shock wave generated by the aircraft being received into the air inlet. At least a portion of the jet exhaust is deflected into the shock wave produced by the aircraft at supersonic speeds for the purpose of disrupting the shock wave. Rapid deceleration of the aircraft from supersonic to sonic speeds obtained by extension of retractable airfoils and stabilizers.

United States Patent Inventor George H. Wakefield Highland. Md. 20777AppL No. 746.029 Filed July 19. I968 Continuation-impart of Ser. No.552,499, May 24,1966. Pat. No. 3.497.163. Patented Aug. 3. 1971surensorsic Alli CRAFT 11 Claims, 16 Drawing Figs. U.S. Cl 244/13,

244/l 244/53, 244/130, 239/265. l 3 Int. Cl B64c 3/16 864d 33/04 Fieldof Search 244/130, 53. 54, S5. 1. l3: 239l265.l3; 181/33, 221

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/ i959 Wakefield 244/ I53.053.477 9/1962 Reiniger 244m 3.265.331 8/l966 Miles 244 53 3.302.6572/1967 Bullock 244/5300 Primary ExaminerMilton Buchler AssistantExaminer-James E. Pittenger Attorney-Mason. Mason and Albright ABSTRACT:A supersonic aircraft having retractable wings and stabilizer controlswherein the leading edge of the airfoil is a continuous air inlet andthe fuselage and all remaining portions of the aircraft are sitiiatedlargely downstream of the air inlet, the aircraft being substantiallyT-shaped in configuration. a large portion of the shock wave generatedby the aircraft being received into the air inlet. At least a portion ofthe jet exhaust is deflected into the shock wave produced by theaircraft at supersonic speeds for the purpose of disrupting the shockwave. Rapid deceleration of the aircraft from supersonic to sonic speedsobtained by extension of retractable airfoils and stabilizers.

PATENTEDAUG 3197: $2,596,852

sum 1 or 5 INVENTOR. P76. 2 GEORGE H. WAKEFIELD ATTORNEYS PATENTED AUG3mm SHEET 2 0F 5 INVENTOR GEORGE H WA/(EF/ELD BY I d/or,

PATENTEU we sun SHEET 3 [IF 5 IN VENTOR GEORGE H. WAKEFIELD ATTORNEYSPATENTED AUG 3 I971 SHEET 5 BF 5 FIG. /2

FIG. 14

FIG. /6

GEORGE H. WAKEFIELD 8V y/gflmm fl /N I/E N TOR ATTORNEYS FIG. [5

SUPERSONIC AlitCRAI-T CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is aContinuation-impart of application Ser. No.

552,499, filed May 24, I966, now Pat. No. 3,497, l 63.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to aircraft and moreparticularly to improvements in supersonic aircraft.

The main object of the invention is to produce a supersonic aircraftthat operates very Bfl ICICIIIIY at high supersonic speeds, particularlyat design speed and altitude, and vary effectively at subsonic speeds,thereby greatly extending the flying range of supersonic aircraft. Alarge airinlet is required for an air-breathing engine in a rarefiedatmosphere. In the invention advantage is taken of this in several ways.At design speeds and altitude this air inlet area becomes a mostfavorable shelter from the relative wind behind which the whole aircraftis located, except for a small lower portion of the craft used toproduce part of the aerodynamic lift. This sheltering act becomes agreat means for reducing many power losses and may be used in anyvarying degree. Conventional and experimental supersonic aircraft designfail to appreciate that] personic aircraft is enormous. That producedby; the protrud-' ing fuselage is even more. In the aircraft of theinvention'this' great power loss is prevented by using the leadingedgeadjustable air inlet to double as cabin windows and as engine ramcompressor parts. The aircraft shapeis thus brought into the mostefficient working relationship in respect to its jet engines and theirair inlets. The external heating effect, and the external heating areaboth are reduced to a minimum. Boundary layer power losses cannot beappreciably reduced unless there is a less disturbed air flow past thecraft. This also has been accomplished. By these same procedures andcontraryto expectation, an immense housing capacity for passengers orfreight is also made available.

' Not limiting the invention but when reference is made to design speedand altitude, speeds'between Mach 1.8 and 4.4 and elevations between60,000 and 125,000 feet are contemplated.

Another object of the invention is to reduce and-eliminate objectionableshock wave noises such as the sonic boom produced by aircraft attransonic and supersonic speeds. Another object is to construct, arrangeand combine aircraft parts and elements in a manner so as toprovide anaerodynamically stable aircraft at all operational speeds without unduesacrifice of payload, speedor range.

Another object is to moreefi'ectively-utilizea rectangular shapedadjustable air inlet diffuser on the leading edge of a-supersonicairfoil.

Another object is to provide suitable retractable subsonica lateral line.with the center of lift produced by :other .craftparts at supersonicspeeds when, the subsonic airfoils are retracted. v

Another object is to make a supersonic aircraft'capable' of vertical ornear vertical takeoff andlanding by providing adjustable vertical thruston a lateralline thatpasses-through the crafts center of lift.

, engine with a forwardly extended turbine compressor to reducethevolume, not the mass of compressed air within the supersonic aircraft;

Another object is to provide supersonic aircraft with retractablecanopies and to make allretractable parts fully retractable to reduceair resistance.

A yet further object of the invention'fis to providers supersonicaircraft with a cabin with a forward vision through transparent duct andair inlet diffuser parts located in a supersonic airfoil.

A further object'of the invention lies in the proportionate thicknessand width relationships between the supersonic airfoil'havingconsiderable housing capacity and the adjoining downstream fuselage andtail.

- Other objects, adaptations, and'possibilities will appear as'thedescription progresses, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.-

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1 and 2 show plan and sideelevational view of an aircraft in accordance with the invention. FIGS.3 and 4 are plan and side elevational views of a-further form of theinvention similar to those shown in FIGS. land 2;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show plan, side and rearelevational views of a stillfurther form of the aircraft in accordance with the invention.

FIG. .8'shows ajet engine orturbojet ram jet combination I cordance withthe invention illustrating the disruption of the shock wave producedbythe aircraft when traveling at supersonic speeds. 9

.FIG. l2 is a sectional view taken on lines-1242 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a rearview of a jetengine showing a modified deflector forthejet exhaust. FIG. 14 is a rear sectional view of a-runner whichunderlies the supersonic-wing. I

FIG. 15 is-a diagrammatic representation of the disruption ofasonic'wave bya plurality of jet deflectors.

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic representation of the disruption of a sonicwave by'asingle jet deflector.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, itwill be noted that a supersonic airfoil "15 is swept backrelative to theaircraft's center line which disposition, as previouslynoted,facilitates the location of the retractable subsonic airfoils '16 -in anappropriate life relationship to the aircraft when traveling at subsonicspeeds. The 'tail l9 whichis attached to the end of the body or fuselage18,:comprises a set of hollow vertical and horizontal stabilizers 20 and21, respectively, which includes a rudder' 22 and elevator 23 forcontrol of the aircraft at supersonic speeds. A set of retractablevertical and horizontal stabilizers 20a and 21a, respectively, withattached rudder 22a and elevators 23d, are'retractable'into theirrespective hollow stabilizers '20 and"2l byihydraulicor other means wellknown'to the art. It will'beappreciatedthat the stabilizers 20a and 210with their control surfaces 220- and 230 will normally be retracted whenthe aircraft is traveling at supersonic speeds. It will=also beappreciatedthatone of the horizontal stabilizers 21a on-one side-of-thetail 19 will be slightly higher than'the one on the other sidetopermit-thenestingof such stabilizers within the .tail .19. If desired,however, the width of the retractable horizontal stabilizers 2la'and21b, FIG. 5,-may be reduced andthey may be butted-when stored so that avertical offset isunnecessary. Thisstructure meets the need-for morecontrol and-lift 'surfaces atrlow subsonic speeds; nevertheless,these-parts need-'not-project beyondthe fuselages width and height athigh supersonic speeds. The tail portion 19 may have a configuration(such as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, for exam ple) whereby the hollowstabilizers 21 may be disposed at a different vertical relationshiprelative to the fuselage 18a than that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.Throughout the drawings, similar characters of reference refer tosimilar parts.

For control at supersonic speeds, the aircraft includes ailerons 35which project from the trailing edge of the supersonic airfoil 15, a,and 15b. The retractable subsonic airfoils 16, 16a, and 16b includeailerons 35a and flaps 36. All three are used to help maintain lift andcontrol at subsonic speeds. At subsonic speeds both sets of adjustabletail and wing control surfaces 22, 23, 22a, 23a, 23b, 35 and 35a may beused to control the aircraft.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, retractable wing tips 24 are provided tolessen wing tip vortices and reduce wing lift losses at low speeds. Theyare retractable into the retractable subsonic airfoils 160 by hydraulicjacks not shown or other means common to the art. Some air is excavated(pushed out of the way) by the form of the aircraft shown in FIGS. 3 and4. At design speed and altitude aircraft skin air-excavating anglesshould be less than 54 percent of the Mach wave angle for that speed.And all aircraft skin angles involved should be feathered to a lessangle upstream. In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. l, 2, 5, 6and 7, little or not air need be excavated by the aircraft skin. This ispossible because adequate thrust may be converted into lift by one ormore of the directionally adjustable tail pipes 39. Continued combinethrust and lift may be produced under the front center of the fuselage18, 18a, 18b by tail pipes 29a. See FIG. 6. I

The form of the aircraft shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 will haveconsiderable tail lift without vertical thrust assistance. This lift isproduced by the sloping upper surface 27 of the fuselage 18b and tail19a. To enable the aircraft to make substantially vertical takeoffs, thethrust nozzles 39 may be selectively and 6. By comparing FIGS. 1 and 2with FIGS. 3 and 4 it becomes very evident that a great increase inaircraft housing capacity may be had by increasing the chord length ofthe supersonic airfoil 15a.

It is to be understood that the subsonic airfoils 16, 16a and 16b areretractable into the supersonic airfoil 15, 15a and 15b as shown indotted lines therein. The means of retraction may be mechanical,hydraulic or other suitable means as would occur to one skilled in theart. Similar airfoils'were disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 2,877,965 ofMar. l7, I959, and in references thereto. The subsonic airfoils 16, 16aand 16b are adapted to be extended, if desired, when the aircraft istraveling at supersonic speeds whereby deceleration is obtained. Thesame is true of the stabilizers 20a, 21a and 21b. The configuration ofthe retractable parts and their relationship to other structural membersis such that they can be extended at supersonic speeds without requiringundue power. This is particularly true of the airfoils I6 and 16awherein the relative wind tends to draw such airfoils to an extendedposition as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 once the extension thereof iscommenced. The adjustable air inlet diffuser 37 is also of a typedisclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 2,877,965. It likewise consists of movableupper and lower diffuser members 44 and 44a. See FIG. 10. Each issecurely hinged to the leading edge 45 of the supersonic airfoil 15, 15aand 15b and actuated by suitable means to govern engine air needs andshock wave conditions. To these members 44 and 440 are attached upperand lower overlapping or buttad telescoping-plates 38, 38a. These platestelescope into the air inlet partitions 52 or ends 520. In FIGS. 1 and 3these parts are indicated by dotted lines.

Another type of air inlet partition 46 is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 andindicated in FIGS. 1-6. It is transparent and has transparent wraparoundwalls 31 which extend to and form part of the engine air inlet duct 47.These transparent walls 31 provide excellent forward vision from thepilot's forward and side cabins 29 and 290. Two partition plates 38b and380, one

attached to the upper diffuser member 44 and the other to the aimeddownwardly as shown by the dotted lines in FIGS. 2, 4,

lower member 44a may or may not be used. They telescope into thetransparent partition 46 in a butting manner and slide in or out whenthe diffuser 37 is closed or opened.

Additional foot room or space in the forward cabin 29 can be madeavailable by changing the shape of. the shaft portion of the lowerdiffuser member 44a at 48 justin front of the seats 49 as shown in FIG.10. Access is provided to the main cabin in fuselage 18, 18a, 18b bypassageway 50. The upper and lower front cabin walls 51 make arcuatesliding connections with the diffuser members 44, 44a, as do the top andbottom walls of air ducts 47. Their sidewalls 31 are transparentadjacent the forward and side cabins 29, 29a. From FIGS. 3 and 4 it isapparent that not only forward but top, bottom and side vision may behad from either windowed side cabin 29a behind similar transparent airinlet diffuser parts 31a. 0ptionally, the partitions 52 and 46 may betransposed. For other diffuser details, see my U.S. Pat. No. 2,877,965.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, an air-splitting plate or shock wave controlmember 32 is adjustable fore and aft by appropriate means such ashydraulic jacks 33 connected to the control member 32 by means of rods34. The jacks 33 will normally be secured between the ducts 47. Theshock waves produced at supersonic speeds by the control member 32 maybe positioned and utilized to help prevent ram compression losses withinthe diffuser 37.

One or more retractable transparent canopies 28, 28a, 28b and 280 may beprovided if desired for increased vision at subsonic speeds, landing,takeoff and on certain types of military aircraft, at higher speeds.They may be located over any cabin 29, 29a and 29b as at the frontcenter, side, or middle center aircraft positions and under the craft asshown in FIG. 6, 280. They may be hinged at their upstream edge as shownin FIG. I0 and actuated by any suitable means. Their extended positionsare shown in dotted lines.

The raised or lowered permanent fuselage distorting cabins 30, and 30aindicated in FIGS. 3 to 6 by dotted lines, may be used. They affordexcellent visibility, but the price in increased frontal drag isenormous and the shock wave noises produced may be intolerable.

FIG. 8 illustrates a jet engine configuration or a turbojetramjetcombination engine which is modified to increase the housing capacity ofsupersonic aircraft. As'shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, to convey or contain agiven mass of compressed air takes far less space than for uncompressedair. The middle engine connecting portion 40a consists of one or moretubes of any suitable length used to convey the compressed air from theturbine compressor end 41 to the burner and turbine end 42 of the powerplant 40. The connecting shaft or shafts 43 may be within the tube ortubes 40a as shown or outside of them.

FIGS. 5-7 show a form of the aircraft which has a greatly increasedcarrying and housing capacity. It is provided with a rectangular-shapedsupersonic airfoil 15b which may be made any convenient length. Thisaircraft has practically no frontal drag area at design speed andaltitude. The retractable horizontal stabilizers 21b swing from suitablehinge joints 25 as may all the retractable stabilizers 20a and 21a.Because of the increased width of the fuselage or body 18b and tail 19a,these stabilizers 21b may be of sufficient size to produce considerablelift at subsonic speeds'When half retracted into the tail 19a theirelevators or ailerons 23b may still be used. At design speed they may bestored one above the other or butted at the center of the tail 19a inthe hollow horizontal stabilizers 21. The aircraft shown in FIGS. l-7may be further controlled by ailerons 35, 35a. flaps 36, 36a and rudders22 and 22a. In FIGS. 5 and 6 all the retractable parts are shownretracted except the retractable landing gear 26. The retractablesubsonic airfoils 16b may be provided with retractable wingtips 24 asshown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 7 all retractable parts are shown retracted.

Forincreased aircraft frame strength and stability at supersonic speedsand to increase the housing capacity and to reduce noise and drag, thereis advantage that the span of the supersonic airfoil be less than fourtimes its chord length and the fuselage have a'lateral width of greaterthan one-sixth of such span, and that the supersonic airfoil fuselageand tail have the same thickness. 7

There are two primary sources of shock waves produced by the presentsupersonic aircraft and also by similar known aircraft now underdevelopment and construction. These are: l shock waves produced byfront-end aircraft parts that excavate air outside the aircraft,including protruding stabilizers, and (2) shock waves produced byaircraft lift.

The sonic boom produced by supersonic aircraft superimposes on theambient atmospheric pressure at the earthSsurface a pressure disturbancewhich has the generalfeatures-of an N"-shaped wave. The bow portion ofthe wave 7 is propagated at a speed which is slightly more than theambient sound speed whereas the tail portion travels at somewhat lessthan ambient sound speed which results in a spreading of the soundwaves. There is first a rapid impression on the ground followed over aperiod from about 0.1 to 0.3 second to'a progressive underpressure whichrapidly cuts off to produce the N wave. The largest variationfromambient pressure is' usually associated with the bow wave. With'knownsupersonic aircraft, all of the front-end parts produce'shock'wave whichescape unweakened from the aircraft and form the destructive sonic boom.In contrast, in the aircraft of the invention, a substantial portion ofthe shock wave is, in efiect, swallowed in separated and weakenedbecause'a'portion of suchwaves is, in

effect, separated and weakened because aportion of such waves isgenerated just behind the-supersonic airfoil and a further portion isgenerated behind the tail portion ofthe aircraft which, with theconfiguration of the aircraft of the invention, are separated by aconsiderable distance;

Also, it will be understood that the negative half of the boom wave isan area of low pressure formed downstream ofthe aircraft above theaccumulated shock'or pressure waves and behind the trailing edgeaircraft parts. By directinga jet stream into the center of this areaconsiderable vacuum can'be relieved and the boom wave weakened in thearea of its formation.

Atmospheric disturbances of sound, shock l and-pressure travel in waves.And if special spacing and direction :care are not taken, these forcesoften tend to combine and intensify instead of canceling each othersAgood example of this is the addition of pressure waves which takes placeunder an airfoil.

Often even the negative waves generated behind and above airfoils andnegative wave ports intensify overall the pressure 1 structure of theshock wave. It is an object of this invention so to space aircraft partsand so --to direct shock wave forces whereby they tend to phase out eachother. By phasing out is meant to dispose shock waves wherebytheir'forces tend to cancel each other. Such forces relate not only topressure, but also encompass directional, intensity and temperaturerelationships. For example, negative shock waves are produced behind asupersonic airfoil, behind the fuselage and taiL-and permits theutilization of smaller control and stabilizer sur-- stabilizer, Thecontrol and stabilizer surfaces are located relatively farbehind'theaircraft's center'of gravity. Therefore, comparatively'smaller stabilizer and control surfaces are required throughout theaircraft's speed range-The leading edges'of these surfaces may be dragshielded, particularly at high speeds; Onpresent publicized proposalsfor" supersonic transport under consideration by the U.S. Government,all the surfaces involved are "unshieldedand located near dead center;that is, near the aircraft's center of gravity.'-ln the event that a jetengine fails, a tremendous torque must be controlled by surfaceshavingpoor mechanical advantage.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the shock waves producedby the aircraft of the instantinvention are significantly less thanthose which 'are produced by supersonic aircraftof V contemporarydesign. Nevertheless, a certain amount of shock wave is produced. Theseshock waves are dissipated by the novel method as will be explainedhereinafter.

To save valuable space for an increased payload within supersonicaircraft and to minimize mechanical complications, it is consideredbest-to allow the shock waves due to lift to form-at leastpartly-andthento dissipate them as they separate from the aircraft or, at least,to start dissipating them prior to their complete fonnation. In otherwords, the object is first to accomplish the necessary aircraft liftwith the most practical and efficient wing-and fuselage shapes, and nextto eliminate the adverse effects of the shock waves in the mosteconomical manner.

This is accomplished in'the-instant invention by directing jet enginethrust streams, or a portion of these streams, downwardly and-rearwardlyat an angle into the shock wave layernear the'trailing" edge of thesupersonic wing or other high-speedaircraftdifting part. Thisalsoproduces some vertical thrust at or near-the aircraft's lateral axiswhere it can most effectively be used-without unbalancing theaircraftQThese jet streams,'which have a velocity much higher than thatof sound and of the-aircraft,-form aft of the craft-one or morecorrugations in the shock-wave layer whichserve to dissipate most ifnotall of its boom-producing effects.

Since a high velocity jet thrust stream directed at'certa'in large acuteangles into a high speedre'lative wind produces shock waves, it is' ofcourse importantthat the thrust streams be directedso to-scatter anddilute more shock waves than I they produce.

faces than is the situation with more conventionally-designed supersonicaircraft. This in turn reduces the drag and'themagnitude of the boomwave.

Large protruding permanent stabilizers and largeiyaw and pitch controlsurfaces, each several stories high or as wide, are

Properly directed, the jet streams overtake the shock wave layer54-asdepicted in FIGS. 15 and 16, forcing it down in areas 'ahead'ofitself'(i.e., ahead of its own velocity), thus forming grooves "59" init." This" transforms much of the disturbance into a series of smallerhorizontally moving shock waves which meet and tend to cancel out theothers energy. By this method, shock'waves are scattered in nearly everydirection and further weakened by turbulence. Shock and sound waves arecarried=along with and follow through the medium in which they aretraveling.'As part of this medium speeds up, the overall speed of theshock waves in that particular-partis also increased. Fast changes inthe direction of the medium also effect changes in the direction of theshock waves. Shock waves weakened and scattered 'at'their source are, atthe earths surface, comparativelyineffective.

lt is tobe understoodthat although many of the improvements disclosedherein serve to increase the overall efficiency of-the aircraft andconserve considerable jet engine power, the

use of-deflected jet streams to dissipate shock waves d'ue'tolift'requiresan-expenditure of additional power.

However, other advantages accrue'to the supersonic'air- I craft asdisclosed herein by virtue of adjustable deflected jet speeds. This isadvantageous in that it is not necessary for the aircraft to initiatesupersonic travel at lower'altitudes wherein objectionable supersonicshock-waves 'may be formed.

Obviously, some of the air met by supersonic aircraft must be directedaround the fuselage. In the aircraft of the invention the power lossesdue to this diversion can be reduced about 75 percent by first conveningmost of the kinetic energy in the "diverted airflow into the potentialenergy of increased air pressure by ram compression at the air inlets.The diversion of the airflow takes place economically due to muchreduced velocity and the ram power expended to compress the air is notlost but is regained as thrust in the adjacent jet engines. The rest ofthe air met by the aircraft flows generally straight through thesupersonic airfoil and straight through the other jet engines. Otherthan to produce lift it is thus not necessary to excavate high velocityair inside or outside supersonic aircraft; a procedure considered verywasteful.

It is believed that the improvements discussed herein are notself-evident.-Most certainly they constitute a radical departure fromknown contemporary approaches to the problem of supersonic travel whichlargely involve attempt at the conversion of a conventional subsonicaircraft to supersonic operations. It is my belief that the specialproblems of a supersonic aircraft are of such magnitude that theaircraft must be designed for its primary function and attempts merely,in effect, to design a subsonic aircraft that is faster will eventuallyfail.

All front-end parts on contemporary supersonic aircraft that excavateair produce shock waVes. These shock waves, loaded with power, escapeunweakened and thus form destructive boom waves. In the aircraft of theinvention these shock waves are maintained in the air inlets. Here theyare confined and help compress more efficiently the incoming air supplyfor the jet engines. Thus the invention overcomes both of the greatcauses of shock and boom wave formation.

As the aircraft gains in subsonic speed after takeoff, the retractableairfoils and control surfaces may be gradually retracted wholly orpartly, particularly at low altitudes. But as the aircraft gains inelevation, the demand for more lift at subsonic speeds is met byextending the said retractable lift surfaces wholly or partly and withthe aid of some vertical thrust from the jet engines a very highaltitude can be reached before entering the transonic and supersonicspeed ranges.

Referring now to FIG. 11, a directionally adjustable tail pipe 53 has avertical elongated cross-sectional area to give its jet stream 56 anincreased relative vertical dimension. Its shape is such to minimizeresistance when it discharges diagonally into and through the relativewind underthe aircraft. Also, such contour enables the jet flow 56better to conserve and protect its force from the relative wind andenable it to penetrate deeper into the shock wave layer 54. A suitableair bleeder valve 60 leading from a channel 61 located downstream of airinlet 62 aids in swallowing the shock wave which might otherwise betroublesome at transonic speeds.

As seen in FIG. 12, an extended spout 55 V-shape in cross section at theend of pipe 53 further protects the jet flow 56 down toward the shockwave layer 54. All the flow $6 from a jet engine may be used for thispurpose as shown in FIG. 11, or any portion of it by using a deflector530 as shown in FIG. 13. By means of deflector 53a, a portion of the jetstream is taken from the lower part of the normal downstream jet flowfrom a tail pipe 39b. Pipes 53 and deflector 53a may also be employed byappropriate adjustment to produce all lift or all horizontal thrustpreferably at low speeds such as at takeoff and landing. Moreover, theupstream portion of these tail pipe parts may include a jet streamreversing component 57 which is well known to the art.

A suitable runner 58, as shown in FIGS. II, 12. and 14.- secured to theunderside of the supersonic airfoil I5, a, 151;

or to fuselage 18, 18a, 18b may be provided to shield the downward flowof the thrust stream 56. the adjustable tail pipe 53, or deflector 53a,or both. It first compresses downwardly and then divides the outside airflow immediately in front of the tail pipe 53, or deflector 53a and itsspout 55. It may also be provided alone in front of the jet stream 56 orshield any portion of it. Cross sections of runner 58 are shown in FIGS.

l2 and 14. An attempt is made in FIGS. 11, 15, and 16 diagrammaticallyto illustrate the resulting corrugations 59 and other annulling effectsof the jet stream 56 on the forming boom waves 54 under a supersonicaircraft. In FIG. 15 several jet streams 56 or portions thereof aredirected downward. The center stream may be from near the tail end ofthe aircraft. In FIG. 16 the effect ofa single jet stream 56 to producea single corrugation 59 is shown. It is to be understood that FIGS. 15and 16 depict the disruption of the shock wave in a highly simplifiedmanner.

Although I have described the preferred embodiments of my invention, itis to be understood that it is capable of other adaptations andmodifications within the scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

l. A method of disrupting shock waves produced by an aircraft flying atsupersonic speeds which comprises directing a stream of jet exhaust intothe, shock wave produced by the aircraft at sufficient velocity tosubstantially distort the shock wave.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stream's crosssection taken in a plane perpendicular to the direction of said streamis elongated in the vertical sense relative to the aircraft.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stream comprisesonly part of the jet exhaust produced by the aircraft's jet engine.

4. A method of weakening and dissipating the shock and boom waves whichare produced principally by the lift of an aircraft traveling atsupersonic speeds, which comprises selectively diverting a portion ofthe exhaust flow from the aircraft's jet engines downward relative tothe normal aft flow thereof and into the shock-wave layer of saidaircraft thereby forming a corrugation in said shock-wave layer as it isbeing formed whereby the boom-producing effects of said shock wave layerare disrupted.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein said diverted flow isdiverted from a location proximate the lateral axis of said aircraft.

6. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein said diverted flow isdiverted from proximate the trailing edge of the aircrafts airfoil.

7. A method of disrupting shock waves formed by a supersonic-aircraftwhich comprises directing a high velocity fluid jet into the area oflowest pressure aft of the aircraft with suffcient force tosubstantially disrupt the shock wave patterns.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said fluid jet comprisesthe exhaust jet stream of the aircrafts jet engmes.

9. A jet deflector for the jet engine of a supersonic aircraftcomprising a pipe adapted to receive a portion of the jet exhaust fromsaid engine and direct same into the supersonic shock wave formed bysaid aircraft when flying at supersonic speeds, the deflector beingdisposed behind a runner member depending from the underside of theaircrafts airfoil, said runner member adapted to divide the relativewind around the exhaust from said pipe and around said pipe.

10. A supersonic aircraft which comprises a fuselage and a supersonicairfoil connected to said fuselage entirely in front thereof, an airinlet completely across the leading edge of said airfoil, jet engineshoused within said airfoil, tail pipes for thrust from said enginesadjacent the trailing edge of said airfoil, the lateral axis of saidaircraft being proximate said tail pipes, and means for adjusting saidtail pipes selectively to produce thrust horizontally and at anglesdownward and obliquely downward relative to said airfoil.

11. The method of greatly reducing and eliminating the kinetic energylosses produced as form and wave drag by aircraft flying at supersonicspeeds which consists of first ram compressing the undisturbed air metby the aircraft in an air inlet that extends across and covers theleading edge of a supersonic shaped airfoil and then conducting only thecentermost portion of this low velocity compressed air laterally 9..within said air inlet to mix the downstream located fuselage straightthrough said airfoil and straight through other and into thrustproducing jet engines housed within said airs irnil arly hoiserl jftengh1 e foil, the other portion of said ram compressed air conducted

1. A method of disrupting shock waves produced by an aircraft flying atsupersonic speeds which comprises directing a stream of jet exhaust intothe shock wave produced by the aircraft at sufficient velocity tosubstantially distort the shock wave.
 2. A method in accordance withclaim 1 wherein said stream''s cross section taken in a planeperpendicular to the direction of said stream is elongated in thevertical sense relative to the aircraft.
 3. A method in accordance withclaim 1 wherein said stream comprises only part of the jet exhaustproduced by the aircraft''s jet engine.
 4. A method of weakening anddissipating the shock and boom waves which are produced principally bythe lift of an aircraft traveling at supersonic speeds, which comprisesselectively diverting a portion of the exhaust flow from the aircraft''sjet engines downward relative to the normal aft flow thereof and intothe shock-wave layer of said aircraft thereby forming a corrugation insaid shock-wave layer as it is being formed whereby the boom-producingeffects of said shock wave layer are disrupted.
 5. A method inaccordance with claim 4 wherein said diverted flow is diverted from alocation proximate the lateral axis of said aircraft.
 6. A method inaccordance with claim 4 wherein said diverted flow is diverted fromproximate the trailing edge of the aircraft''s airfoil.
 7. A method ofdisrupting shock waves formed by a supersonic aircraft which comprisesdirecting a high velocity fluid jet into the area of lowest pressure aftof the aircraft with sufficient force to substantially disrupt the shockwave patterns.
 8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said fluidjet comprises the exhaust jet stream of the aircraft''s jet engines. 9.A jet deflector for the jet engine of a supersonic aircraft comprising apipe adapted to receive a portion of the jet exhaust from said engineand direct same into the supersonic shock wave formed by said aircraftwhen flying at supersonic speeds, the deflector being disposed behind arunner member depending from the underside of the aircraft''s airfoil,said runner member adapted to divide the relative wind around theexhaust from said pipe and around said pipe.
 10. A supersonic aircraftwhich comprises a fuselage and a supersonic airfoil connected to saidfuselage entirely in front thereof, an air inlet completely across theleading edge of said airfoil, jet engines housed within said airfoil,tail pipes for thrust from said engines adjacent the trailing edge ofsaid airfoil, the lateral axis of said aircraft being proximate saidtail pipes, and means for adjusting said tail pipes selectively toproduce thrust horizontally and at angles downward and obliquelydownward relative to said airfoil.
 11. The method of greatly reducingand eliminating the kinetic energy losses produced as form and wave dragby aircraft flying at supersonic speeds which consists of first ramcompressing the undisturbed air met by the aircraft in an air inlet thatextends across and covers the leading edge of a supersonic shapedairfoil and then conducting only the centermost portion of this lowvelocity compressed air laterally within said air inlet to miss thedownstream located fuselage and into thrust producing jet engines housedwithin said airfoil, the other portion of said ram compressed airconducted straight through said airfoil and straight through othersimilarly housed jet engines.